Need some advice!

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JMB

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Hi there!
I need some advice. I have a red footed tortoise, Edna. She is around 3 years old. I've had he for about a year now and love her. There are so many sites out there with different advice so i'm looking for some input.
1) How often should I be feeding her now that she is about 3 years old?
2) When I got her her shell seemed as if there was evidence of pyramiding. Now that she's bigger it is still the same but I can't tell if it's getting worse or if it is because she is just growing. I feed her all the recommended food and supplements.
3) Are mercury vapour bulbs worth investing in?
4) She is very restless lately, she is trying to climb on everything in her enclosure (4x6) and is constantly flipping herself over. We are doing everything we can to prevent this but it keeps happening. Why is she doing this? I bring her out for exercise regularly.
5) Can she get eggbound if the eggs are never fertilized?
Please don't think you have to answer all of these questions, any will do!! Thanks!!!!
 

Yvonne G

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I defer to redfoot keepers for most of your questions, but in the case of the egg-bound question, I don't think at three she's big enough yet to be ready to lay eggs. It goes by size rather than age. In my Yellowfoots, I saw that the male was about half of full size when I was able to determine that he is male. So its probably the same for females...about half of full grown size.

Yvonne
 

Madkins007

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JMB said:
Hi there!
I need some advice. I have a red footed tortoise, Edna. She is around 3 years old. I've had he for about a year now and love her. There are so many sites out there with different advice so i'm looking for some input.
1) How often should I be feeding her now that she is about 3 years old?
2) When I got her her shell seemed as if there was evidence of pyramiding. Now that she's bigger it is still the same but I can't tell if it's getting worse or if it is because she is just growing. I feed her all the recommended food and supplements.
3) Are mercury vapour bulbs worth investing in?
4) She is very restless lately, she is trying to climb on everything in her enclosure (4x6) and is constantly flipping herself over. We are doing everything we can to prevent this but it keeps happening. Why is she doing this? I bring her out for exercise regularly.
5) Can she get eggbound if the eggs are never fertilized?
Please don't think you have to answer all of these questions, any will do!! Thanks!!!!

1. Ask 20 keepers this, and you'll get 20 answers. The general rule is that if you can keep the daily intake low enough you can do it every day, but that it certainly will not hurt it to have less-frequent, larger meals. Many pros only feed their torts 2-4 times a week. My schedule at 3 is to skip a meal or two a week.

2. Foods and supplements are not what causes pyramiding, dehydration and low humidity does. Keep at least part of the habitat nice and humid (95% is good) and make sure the food is moist and water is available.

3. I think they are awfully strong for sun-shunning, low-UVB needs Red-foots. Lower levels of light and UVB seem to work fine.

4. This may be that her needs are not met, that the design makes it too easy for her to flip, not enough quality hiding places, preference for her exercise place, etc. Visit www.Redfoots.com and check your stuff against his recommendations.

5. Not being fertilized is not what causes egg binding, poor diet, hydration, and cares is the main problem that she MAY have in a few more years.
 
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